HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-01-18, Page 10•
Snowmobiles terrorizing
Zurich sidewalks?
One man says they fly
past his lawn, despite a
bylaw banning them
ZURICH - Notwithstanding unseasonably foggy
and rainy weather, one Zurich man knows that
when winter's snows return, the snowmobiles on his
front lawn will too.
"I have a very, very serious problem on our end of
the Goshen [Street]," Larry Northover told council
Thursday evening.
Northover described the sidewalk in front of his
home as a "racetrack" for snowmobiles. Last Sun-
day afternoon, he said three raced down the side-
walk, with his two-year old son only steps away.
A 1988 bylaw specifically bans snowmobiles
from Zurich sidewalks, and, like most municipal-
ities, they are only allowed on streets when trav-
elling directly to and from a residence.
Northover said that last winter he tried to block
the paths of snowmobiles by parking his car across
the sidewalk. He was, however, warned by the OPP
about violating that traffic bylaw, and he claimed
the snowmobilers.hid their revenge.
"What they did was let the air out of my tires last
year," claimed Northover.
He said he has tried to get license numbers of the
offending snowmobiles, but was told by OPP he
would have to take time to testify in court.
• "I think you have to impress it is illegal, illegal to
Arun a snowmobile on the sidewalk in Zurich," said
Northover, who suggested sending notices of the
bylaw to snowmobile clubs, and to people who ser-
vice the machines.
Northover said he doesn't want to discourage
snowmobilers from coming to town. He ac-
knowledged they often come through from the trails
to buy fuel or food.
"We don't need to lose their business, we need
their business," he said.
Councillor Brad Clausius agreed that enforcement
isn't getting anywhere, and snowmobiles continue to
be a problem on sidewalks. Councillor Barb Jeffrey
said she had seen a few up her street, but not on the
sidewalk.
"I'm sure if I went up and down my sidewalk on a
trail bike in the summer, I'm sure my neighbours
[would complain]," said Northover. "Now two
wrongs don't make a right, and I'm not about to buy
a trail bike."
Clausius said Northover's suggestions would be
taken into consideration, and agreed that signs
painted up with bold print indicating no snow-
mobiles on sidewalks might be a good idea.
"Maybe it won't change, maybe we can't have
snowmobiles in Zurich...I don't think we have to get
to that point. Snowmobiles are fun," said North-
over.
Children learn about God's gifts
The choir sang
"Sometimes Alleluia"
accompanied by the
organist Agnes Bray.
THAMES ROAD - Rev. Jim All-
sop was in charge of the regular
church service on Sunday morning.
The choir sang "Sometimes Alle-
luia" accompanied by the organist
Agnes Bray.
The congregation sang the chil-
dren's hymn "Happiness Is the
Lord" and Rev. Jim told the chil-
dren's story "Gifts that God has
given us".
Rev. Jim read from the Gospel of
John 2:1-11 and the title of his ser-
mon wag "The Spirit Brings Abun-
dance".
The closing hymn was sung
"Spirit of God, Descend Upon My
Heart".
Church news
On Friday, January 20 at 7 p.m.
the Messengers will meet at Elim-
ville Church. Graduation for those
who are in grade four.
The Thames Road Church annual
meeting will be held on Sunday
evening January 29 at 7 p.m. start-
ing with desert and coffee.
Elimville Church annual meeting
will be held on Sunday, February 5
following the church service, pot
luck lunch and then the meeting.
On Tuesday, January 24, Jim
Papple will speak about the Food
Bank.
Varna, lchurctj,,hagdi lg1annual meeting.
The meeting will begin after the
church service and lunch.
By Joan Beierling
VARNA - The annual meeting at the Varna Unit-
ed Church will be held Sunday, January 22. There
will be lunch following the service. Please bring
sandwiches and finger desserts. The meeting will
follow lunch.
Goshen's meeting will be Sunday, January 29. All
reports should be handed into Ivan McClymont and
Linda Linfield for Goshen.
The Board of Stewards in Varna is looking for a
volunteer to fill the position of treasurer for Varna
United Church. Anyone interested in this opportuni-
ty to become an active participant in the financial
management of the church please contact Scott Con-
sist, chairman of the board of stewards at 565-2728.
The Varna Crokinole Club met last Tuesday, Janu-
ary 10 to play singles. Dave and Marg McClure of
Exeter, regular members 'of the club, brought guests
with them: Bob and Marg Mason are from Perth in
Western Australia. Bob and Marg had never heard
of the game and were just shown earlier that day.
They enjoyed it and the club wouldn't be a bit sur-
prised if they take a crokinole board back to Austra-
lia with them if possible.
They had been in Ontario in 1983 as Bob was an
exchange teacher at McGillivray School, so they
were back visiting folks they had met. The next
crokinole club meeting will be January 24 at 8 p.m.
and will be Doubles.
The Varna U.C.W. meeting was cancelled last
Thursday due to the foggy weather and is resched-
uled for Thursday, February 2 at 8 p.m.
Margarine manufacturers no
longer face colour restrictions
CHATHAM - The Ontario Soy-
bean Growers' Marketing Board is
applauding the action of the pro-
vincial government in their remov-
al of margarine restrictions in On-
tario.
On December 21, 1994, the
Honourable Elmer Buchanan,
Minister Ontario Ministry of Agri-
culture, Food and Rural Affairs an-
nounced that "effective January 1
1995, Ontario manufacturers will
no longer face restrictions on mar-
garine colouring beyond the na-
tional food safety standards. In ad-
dition, restrictions surrounding the
oil content of margarine will be re-
moved, enabling Ontario manufac-
turers to produce a wider range of
margrinc products'. As a result of
the change, Quebec will not be the
only jurisdiction in the world that
enforces margarine colour restric-
tions.
The Minister's decision is partic-
ulatly timely, coming just prior to
the January 1, 1995 implementa-
tion of a GATT provision allowing
margarine imports into Canada for
the first time in history. Removal
of the restrictions will allow do-
mestic margarine manufacturers to
remain competitive with their for-
eign counterparts by eliminating
the need to handle more than one
colour of product.
"Soybean producers in Ontario
are very pleased with Buchanan's
actions on this matter", explained
Ron MacDougall, Chairman of the
Ontario Soybean Growers' Mar-
keting Board. "Approximately one
half of the oil from Ontario's soy-
bean crop is used in the production
of margarine," says MacDougall.
"With the growing production of
soybeans in his province, it is cru-
cial that the margarine market is
maintained."
The Oleo Margarine Act, which
regulates margarine colour and la-
beling, has been a thorn in the side
of soybean producers since its en-
actment in he 1940s. It was origi-
nally designed to help consumers
distinguish between margarine and
butter, but consumers now have the
benefit of packaging differences
and labeling. The Ontario Soybean
Growers' Marketing Board, as a
member of the Institute of F,dible
Oil Foods, has communicated to
the provincial government the need
for removal of the margarine col-
our restrictions since their introduc-
tion. The changing trade environ-
ment and its potential impact on
Ontario's edible oil industry was a
compelling argument.
At the Board's 1993 annual
meeting, Elmer Buchanaa—tad
promised Ontario soybean produc-
ers that he would review the value
of the Oleo Margarine Act.
"We are pleased that the Minister
recognized the problem and had the
courage to swiftly deal with this
politically sensitive issue. His ac-
tions are very timely and reflect his
sincere commitment to eliminating
unnecessary government regula-
tions," said MacDougall.
Words of
welcome
EXETER - "Beginning a
New Year" was the theme of
the Presbyterian Church wom-
en at their regular meeting,
"Season's Greetings" and a
word of welcome was extend-
ed to the members by the pro-
gram convener, Donna Web-
ster. Luke 11:9-10 was read
and hymn 575 was sung. Last
years executive read their fa-
vourite passage from the
Bible, hymn 573 as sung fol-
lowed by prayer given by
Rev. Charles Henderson.
The ladies enjoyed the vid-
eo "Sunday morning Gospel
Sing" contributed by Marga-
ret Strang. The program was
readings on the theme from
"Chicken Soup for the Soul"
by Jack Canfield and Mark
Victor Hansen and Amy
Bolding book on Devotions.
The president Margaret
Strang, conducted the busi-
ness. Names for the 1995 pen
pals were drawn. Cards to be
sent to the pen pal on Easter
and birthday. Gifts Of $2 val-
ue will be exchanged next
Christmas.
Plans for World Day of
Prayer to be held at liven on
March 3 and the Exeter Villa
church service on February 8
were discussed.
A social hour was enjoyed
by all.
Times -Advocate, January 18, 1995
Page 9
One Foot in the Furrow
By Bob Trotter
Beef cattle declining on Ontario farms
You have to wonder when or
where it is all going to stop.
As if beef farmers don't have
enough to worry about, now
along comes venereal disease in
cattle.
Beef farmers have been strug-
gling for 20 years in this coun-
try, trying to keep going and
make enough money to pay the
bank and the mortgage and have
enough to keep a truck on the
road and the kids in school.
The number of beef cattle in
Ontario alone compared to 40
years ago tells the story in
mournful tones. Back in 1954,
more than 7.1 million beef cattle
graced the pasturelands of Onta-
rio. But in 1994, that total had
slowly but surely dwindled to
1.5 million .
The dry statistics are mute tes-
timony to the heartbreak and the
disruption that has taken place
among farmers.
And now, a story out of west-
ern Canada is enough to make
any cattleman or woman throw
up their hands in despair. It
seems that safe sex should be
practiced, not just by people, but
by cattle, too.
A devastating venereal dis-
ease, bovine trichomoniasis, has
become a problem in Canada,
said Cornelia Kreplin, chief pa-
thologist at Alberta's animal
health laboratory in Edmonton.
It began when cattlemen no-
ticed a drop in conception in
their herds. In a cow -calf opera-
tion, the bull is left to wander
through the breeding herd to im-
pregnate as many cows as he
can. But this may prove disas-
trous if this disease isn't curbed.
It is caused by an organism that
can live in the sheath and penis
of bulls. It causes temporary in-
fertility if it infects the repro-
ductive organs of the cows.
It first appeared in Saskatche-
wan two years ago and was
spotted in Manitoba and Alberta
last year. Canadian scientists
say the disease has been present
in American cattle for a hundred
years but has not been spotted in
Canada until two years ago.
Bulls, of course, do not know
anything about international
borders. They jump fences or go
through them. One randy bull
can infect an entire herd. The
troubling aspect of this strain of
venereal disease is that there is
no known cure or treatment.
Infected bulls must be de-
stroyed. Wheww! I imagine
some men are glad they aren't
treated the same way animals
are treated.
Fortunately, most cows even-
tually rid themselves of the or-
ganism and will be able to breed
and conceive again although
some become permanently ster-
ile. Veterinarians in western
Canada are suggesting that the
disease could spread to the east
and are warning farmers here to
be on the lookout for a drastic
drop in conception rates.
The best way to control trich
as it is being nicknamed, is to
use only non-infected bulls for
breeding and ensure that the
bulls are not exposed to infected
cows. This means, of course, '
that these bulls will have to be
watched almost constantly and
kept home on Saturday nights,
too.
It'll be tough to teach safe sex
in a field where promiscuity is
not only accepted but encour-
aged. In fact, I don't think they
make bull condoms. Even if
they did, who is going to stop a
lusty bull long enough to apply
one?
In the world of bulls, I under-
stand they are all angry now at
the proliferation of artificial in-
semination. They figure they
will soon be relegated to the
hamburger store if enough se-
men is collected and stored to
keep cows going to the next mil-
lennium.
No wonder they're mad.
But if artificial insemination
ever needed a boost in populari-
ty, bovine trichomoniasis may
be just what the farmer ordered.
Focus on fertility workshop
LUCAN - Dr. Jay Johnston, a
soil science researcher and farm
extension worker from Ohio State
University, is the keynote speaker
for the January 24 meeting. Dr.
Johnston will address Fertilizer
recommendations - The American
\efEne interesting and lE1H'tllsKat-
fertility topics round out the
practical day: adding sulphur to
boost protein, foliar fertilizer, liq-
uid versus dry fertilizers, micro
nutrients, calcium and manure as a
nutrient source.
A farmer panel will add some
tried and true experience with their
stories about fertility on their
farms.
Farmers and industry personnel
can register with any Ontario Min-
istry of Agriculture, Food and Ru-
ral Affairs office in the area.
Lunch is included in the $15. reg-
istration fee for those who prereg-
Canadian
pork gets
longer shelf
life
ALBERTA - In order to better
tap lucrative markets in the Pacific
Rim, scientists at Agriculture and
Agri -Food Canada developed a
new technique to extend the shelf
life of pork up to 90 days.
Once the meat is pasteurized at a
high temperature and stored at an
ultra -cold temperature it is pack-
aged using some new tricks. These
include removing oxygen from the
package, packaging the pork in im-
permeable material, such as a foil
laminate, and adding carbon diox-
ide to prevent spoilage.
The technique has been commer-
cially tested in Canada and the pork
was a hit in Japan.
Canola shifts
into diesel
SASKATOON - Low quality ca-
nola oil is now being tuned up to be
added into diesel fuel. Oilseed
crops such as canola sometimes get
frost damaged and become a non -
edible product.
Scientists at Agriculture and
Agri -Food Canada are now testing
a carols oil derivative as an addi-
tive to diesel to make a more envi-
ronmentally friendl)1 fuel that re-
duces air pollution and could be
easier to clean up in case of a large
spill.
ister by January 17. Registration at
the door is $20. The program runs
from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and
will be held at the Lucan Commu-
nity Centre.
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Affairs is sponsor-
ing the meeting.
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